The benevolent banner. [volume] (North Topeka, Kan.) 1887-18??, 1887-05-21

Early in the summer OF 1884 l was
writing in my study at Norwood, when
I became conscious of the incessant
tinkling of little bell in the garden.
It rather disturbed my ideas, and
went out to see what it could be.
On opening the garden door, l saw
little Persian kitten dancing about
among the flowers, playing with the
grass-stems, and rafting merrily
little bell which was hung round her
neck by blue ribbon. I called the
kitten, and it at once ran up to me IN
manner which showed that it had been
kindly treated. Fearing that harm
might come to it from the stone-throw-
ing boys who passed my house on their
way to and from school, I picked it up
and took it into the house.
My young folks fell in love with it at
once, and the kitten showed no signs OF
fear, but was as Familiarity playful as if
it had lived with us all its life. Know
ing that it did not belong to any one in
our immediate neighborhood, I in
stituted inquiries by means of the local
tradesmen for the purpose OF restoring
it to its owner.
For some days the search was with
out results, but at last a messenger ar
rived and claimed the pretty little
wanderer. Ny young people, who
fondly hoped that they might retain
the kitten, were quite inconsolable at
the loss of their new pet. The gentle
man who took away the kitten was so
much moved by their regrets that he
promised to ask for one of its brothers
or sisters, when there should be one to
spare. Accordingly, in few weeks we
received a tiny kitten of rather
curious color. It was mostly white,
but had patches of fawn color on its
back and the top of its head and tail.
AS to the tail, it was very short and
pointed, and when the kitten ran across
the room it looked so like rabbit that
it was called Bunny" on the spot.
With one exception, all the inmates
of the house were delighted with
Bunny. The solitary exception was oul
old and staid tom-cat Brownie. =" He
altogether objected to the newcomer,
and audibly expressed his objections
whenever Bunny came near him.
Her pride in her bell has always been
amusing, she evidently thinking il
showed her superiority of Brownie.
| One day she contrived to lose hel
bell, having torn the ribbon to which il
had been suspended. She was quite
disconsolate, not knowing how to ex
press her wants.
I Finding that she was quite miserable
without her bell, went to the saddler'
and bought blue morocco Leather
collar mounted with silver, and having
two bells. When I brought it hom'
she was not in the room, but as I tool
it out of the wrapper the bells tinkled
The cat was at the other end of tn
> house, but she heard the bells, AMI
with sharp cry of joy came rushing
into the room, leaped on to the table
and held up her head for the collar.
She was so impatient that she coul'
0 hardly wait until the collar was fastened
+ The moment that she was released sh
sprang off the table, ran to Brown
: and shook her new bells at him. Hav
ing thus asserted her superiority, sh
!. went round to every member of tn
I family, in order to receive their cor
9 CALCULATIONS.
She runs races with my daughters
and plays at ''hide-and-seek," the rule
: of which she knows as well as they dc
9 They complain, however, that sh
y cheats, and always looks to see wher
they hide.
She was always a good mouser, an
in the pursuit of her avocation cause
: my oldest son much trouble. When sh
i has caught mouse and has played wit
: it for a while, she insists on putting
f fAto one of his boots, and then fetcl
n ing him to shake it out again. At La
v he was obliged to put his boots in
= cupboard where she could not get then
@ Her inordinate pride in her kittens WI
+ most amusing. She could not be hapr
y unless some one was admiring her Of
Q spring.
"a The kittens, called Fluff" an
q "Toodles, grew apace, and BEGAN
9 quite as amusing as their mother, i
a heriting many of her ways.-W, /
D Youths Companion
- An TruvnictaEaAIa